


Overheard

by LizBee



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, Operation Beifong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 05:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3516254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizBee/pseuds/LizBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bolin overhears a conversation between Lin and Toph.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Overheard

Bolin half-woke to the sound of hushed voices. _Earth Empire troops_ , he thought. _Attacking! Taking us prisoner! ...Having a really intense, really quiet argument?_

It was Lin and Toph, he realised, continuing their fight from earlier. Not his problem. None of his business. He was just going to curl up in his sleeping bag and go back to sleep. 

“–not like I’ve spent the last thirty years wondering,” Lin was saying. “It’s fine. I’ve moved on.”

“I can tell,” said Toph.

“But all those times you avoided the question – and then you start telling strangers?”

“Bolin’s not a stranger,” said Toph. “He’s dating Opal. He’s practically family.”

“He’s practically—” 

Bolin decided to assume that whatever Lin had decided to say, it was absolutely a compliment. Probably. Maybe. Well, she seemed to like Mako... 

He wasn’t getting back to sleep any time soon, he realised. And Toph, with her super-seismic awareness, had to know he was awake. He was amazed she hadn’t loudly pointed it out yet – except she apparently preferred to pick on Lin while she had the chance.

“You know,” she was saying, “I thought Katara could hold a grudge, but you, Lin – well, I guess you and she got on for a reason.”

“Yeah, because you’re the least stubborn woman in the Earth Kingdom.” 

“ _I_ learned to compromise. I didn’t like it, but I had to. You know,” Bolin heard the earth shifting, and guessed Toph was leaning back, putting her feet up, “that’s why Tenzin left you, in the end. You never know when to be flexible.” 

Bolin held his breath, waiting for the fight to start, but Lin just sighed.

“It’s funny how you and Su both go there,” she said. “Tenzin and I put that behind us years ago – but you two think, ‘Oh, what will upset and hurt Lin? Let’s do that.’ And then you have the nerve to wonder why I don’t want you in my life.”

“You make it too easy, Lin. You stamp your foot and throw a tantrum whenever you don’t get your own way.” 

“I'm going to sleep.”

“Suit yourself,” said Toph. But only a few moments had passed before she said, “Tenzin’s kids seem nice enough. The youngest one – now there’s a grandson to be proud of.”

“Second-youngest,” Lin muttered. “There’s a toddler, too.”

“Katara must be so proud.” 

“They’re good kids.” 

“So—”

“And Pema’s welcome to them.”

Toph snorted.

“If you and Tenzin are such great buddies now,” she said, “why didn’t you bring him on this little jaunt? I mean, Opal brought her ex—”

“Unlike some people,” said Lin, “I don’t believe in asking people to abandon their principles for the family’s sake.” 

Which was ridiculous, Bolin thought, he had no problem at all with this expedition – but he must have missed something, because Toph said, “Is that meant to be a dig at me?”

“Silly of me to think you’d care.”

“Look,” Toph’s voice dropped, “maybe I did make the wrong call that day. I don’t know. I was trying to do my best.” She sounded almost gentle as she added, “That’s all I’ve ever done.”

“From the woman who always said trying wasn’t good enough.”

“Should have known that’d come back to bite me.”

“I’ve had enough of this,” said Lin. “I'm going to get a couple of hours sleep.”

“Good idea.” 

This time, Bolin heard the clink of armour as Lin stalked to the far end of the campsite, as far from her mother as she could get.

Bolin couldn’t tell if she, too, lay awake, but he had trouble getting back to sleep, and when he did finally drop off, Toph was still stirring.

 

end


End file.
